While the American military blows up boats it claims are transporting drugs from Venezuela, observers say tankers shipping Venezuelan oil in violation of a US embargo continue to navigate the very same Caribbean waters undisturbed.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has claimed a massive US military deployment within striking distance of his country was part of a plan to overthrow him and "steal" his country's oil under the ruse of an anti-drug operation.

Originally published on doc.afp.com, part of the BLOX Digital Content Exchange.